Pro-business environment

Mauritius is in the midst of a great change – a total makeover of the business and investment climate that makes the island state really advantageous as a premier investment destination. It offers the best and innate environment for business to start, grow and expand.

Bold moves have been made to remove the remaining obstacles to investment and entrepreneurship, to allow enterprises to start new activities within three days (unregulated businesses), to get investors and professionals come, work and live in Mauritius without hassles and to benefit from a simplified and rationalized income and corporate tax of 15 % for domestic activities.

Businesses, in Mauritius, may be conducted as an individual operating as self-employed, in partnerships or through a multitude of entities such as private or public companies, protected cell companies, sociétés (partnerships), trusts, etc. which may conduct domestic or global business.

For a limited number of regulated activities (see www.investmauritius.com), an application for the appropriate permit or license must be made to the competent authorities prior to start of operations.

A UNIQUE OFFERING

Some of the unique elements that make of Mauritius an attractive and competitive investment location include:

• Political, economic and social stability.
• Pro-business environment, with the government acting as the facilitator.
• A dynamic private sector very receptive to foreign investment and open for joint venture collaborations.
• Preferential market access to the EU (under Cotonou Agreement), US (Under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act – AGOA) and Africa (under the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa – COMESA and under the Southern African Development Community – SADC).
• High level of protection to investors through a wide network of Double Taxation Avoidance Treaties (DTAs) and Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (IPPAs). Mauritius is also signatory member to a number of international, regional and bilateral conventions and agreements.
• Close historical, political, economic and cultural ties with countries on the competitive edge of technology and information society (India, China, Europe and North America).
• Attractive package of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives and high level of facilitation services.
• Ease of doing business for incorporation or registration of a company. One shareholder company, with no minimum capital requirement, is permissible. 100% foreign ownership is also allowed.
• Young, dynamic, competitive and bilingual (English / French) workforce with first-world qualifications, skills and experience.
• Modern infrastructure and reliable support services – airport and port logistics facilities, telecommunications, banking and finance, business parks, industrial facilities and office premises.
• Good governance in investment promotion with regard to predictability and transparency of government laws, regulations and procedures, and accountability of institutions dealing with investors.
• Professional and personalized service to the investor community by the Board of Investment.